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“Domestic sparkling wines balance good quality with reasonable prices”

Ravi Gurnani, Director, York Winery

The  reason  Ravi  Gurnani  is so confident about domestic sparkling  wines  is  that  they are able to strike a balance between good  quality  and  reasonable  prices. He insists that our sparkling wines can certainly match up to their imported rivals in the department of quality.

York at present has one sparkling wine in the market. The York Sparkling Cuvee Brut is a Blanc de Blanc-style wine  made  from  Chenin  Blanc.  It  is light, fruity and easy to drink, and being a 100 per cent Chenin Blanc sparkling wine, it has a slightly different character, which sets it apart from the sparklers in   its   competitive  set  produced  by Sula, Chandon and Grover Zampa. It is  retailed  in  Maharashtra  (MRP:  Rs 1,050), Rajasthan (MRP: Rs 1,215) and Delhi (MRP: Rs 1,050), but it sells the most in Mumbai and of course, at the winery’s Tasting Room.

The good news, according to Gurnani, is that the sparkling wine category has grown significantly in the last two years, thanks to the entry of different brands, but it still remains a celebratory drink. The other good news is that sparkling wine consumers are showing a higher level of awareness of and appreciation for quality wines. And they opt for those sparkling wines that come with a brand heritage and also score on taste and price. In the case of  champagne,  though,  the  category is feeling the heat from proseccos and cavas because their price points are more accessible.

Champagne and other sparkling wines, at present, are portfolio products  consumed  mainly  at

 “We need more active promotions to make consumers aware that sparkling  wines  do not  necessarily  need to  be  popped  on big occasions,    but    can be had for day-to-day drinking.”

celebrations and parties. Only when they  become  accompaniments  to meals,  will  the  category  see  a  real boost in consumption. There’s clearly a case, according to Gurnani, for active promotions to make consumers aware that sparkling wines do not necessarily need to be popped on big occasions, but can be had for day-to-day drinking as well.

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